Shattered Wings
by BeautyNotBeast
Summary: Thrust into a new world without any memories, Clara was lost amongst the others in the Glade. Nothing made sense - the precaution towards entering something called "the Maze", and the looks she kept receiving from one of the Keepers. None of the puzzle pieces were fitting together, becoming an equation she just couldn't solve. Especially with the largest key printed on her back.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Beginning:

"You are a very special variable in the next stage of the Trials, Clara." Chancellor Paige sat back, crossing her arms casually over her chest as she studied the young girl. With her bottom lip between her teeth, she didn't even look up as her small voice flitted about in the air, "Won't my appearance in the Glade alert them all of the changes soon to come?" "Well that's partly the reason your arrival is scheduled so soon," a tight smile curved her lips, trying to ease the girl's tension, "We need to see the reactions from the subjects. If they aren't able to handle a simple change like a girl arriving in the box, then they won't be ready to face the other variables we have aligned for them in the future."

Wide green eyes lifted in fear, staring openly at the Chancellor seated just across from her with a nervous tick causing her right foot to bob up and down. "B-but won't I lose my memories…? Everything, even what you're saying now?" Reaching across the table to gently touch Clara's hand, Chancellor Paige's sharp blue eyes bore into the fear that surrounded her own bright green. "It's the price one must pay to benefit the rest of mankind… Besides, hasn't there been something you've always wanted to forget?" It didn't take long for her to think about it, the scars were permanently etched into the skin of her back - forever marking her with the images of that day what seemed like ages ago. Would she forget about those too? Would she wake up one day wondering how those awful scars ever came to be? The Chancellor seemed to pick up on the girl's curiosity, using that to fully express the greatness of such an opportunity, "This is your chance to start over Clara. Don't let it go to waste."

"_He's _there, isn't he? He told me he was a part of the program before he disappeared...y-you never said if he was alive or not." The fear in her eyes was replaced by anxiety, a hesitant apprehension that caused the color to glint with her emotions as she watched the other woman carefully. It obviously hadn't been a question Chancellor Paige was expecting, judging by the way her posture stiffened and her pupils dilated a centimeter more. "Yes, he is," she breathed evenly, "We are interested to see if that will affect anything as well." A silence carried between them while Clara tried to process the information, contemplating the pros and cons of going through with the experiment. She would lose everything...all the memories of her family, friends, _him_. While registering just how much this experiment would take away, another thought popped into her head, causing a shiver to slide up her spine. "Are those _monsters _there too?" "Only as a precaution, they're there to ensure your protection; if the experiment were to be...interrupted, then the larger variables are inclined to intervene and spare the subjects."

"You make it sound like a game," her voice lastly snapped under the heavy weight of the decision. What was she to do? Cautiously gazing up to the woman who had been her mentor - a mother to her for so long, it was hard to see the emotionless mask that cloaked Chancellor Paige's face, to look back into her unwavering stare as she tightened her grasp around the girl's palm. "It is a game. Life and Death. That's all they've ever known, and they don't even know they're playing it. You Clara, are a very important piece in our little game which will carry it into its next stage. We can only play level one for so long, and their time is up. Level two, begins today." Ava stood tall, gesturing to something behind the girl where two other scientists materialized from the shadows, latching onto her arms while dragging her to the door. "Wait, wait! I thought it was my decision?!" "It was," the woman sneered, dropping the concern that had present on her face not only two seconds before, "But due to the latest developments...we've made the choice for you."

"What?" she released with a breath, allowing the two large men to carry her limp form through the door, blankly staring back into the room as the Chancellor stood still; instinct taking over as the reality of the situation finally struck her like a lightning bolt. "No! No! No!" The screams stung her throat, rubbing it raw with each word while kicking around using all her might. "Let me go!" the muscles in her arms ached with the force it took to swing her elbows back into the men, though neither of them budged in the slightest. The hallway they were carrying her down went right past their usual lab, where Clara could see all of the familiar faces of other teens her age preparing for the same choice. Little did they know, they wouldn't get to make that decision. As another scream used up the last of her breath, the tall man to her left pulled out a syringe from the pocket of his lab coat, struggling to keep the needle steady as the girl squirmed. "She lies! She lies! It's not your choice! She_" the sharp end of the syringe lastly made it into the sensitive skin of her neck, stopping Clara mid-sentence as the effects of the concoction took hold of her system within seconds. The world before her fell into darkness while her whole body crumbled to the floor, luckily being caught by the two men who continued on their way with her in between them. The last thought to flutter through her mind read something very clear, _This was just the beginning._

* * *

Gally:

"The alarm should've went off by now," Zart grumbled at his side, irritably glancing over to the space where he knew the box would appear like it did every month. "Has it been a month already?" Gally asked more to himself than anyone else while hammering away at the side of the building. If this greenhouse wasn't finished by the end of the day, he knew he was going to burst; he never realized just how much Zart and the other Track-Hoes enjoyed gossiping while they worked amongst the gardens. There wasn't a day that went by that Gally didn't hear something he really didn't need to know when sitting atop the roof, even the continuous thud of a hammer and nail wasn't loud enough to rid his mind of their annoying voices, just like now.

"Yeah, I've been keeping track of the days since we received the last Greenie. I still think that Winston made the wrong choice taking the Greenie on with the Slicers, you saw the way that kid's face turned green during the trials. He hasn't gotten much better and it's been a month." Nodding absentmindedly, Gally beat another nail into the structure before the alarm set off; shrieking loudly to alert all the Gladers another was about to join their numbers. "Well, looks like we've got another one coming," he sighed, tiredly running a hand down his face to wipe away the sweat.

Others began to gather around the landing where the box would appear, speaking in whispers so it seemed as the alarm drowned out their voices. Gally made his way over to the gathering, staying on the outer ring of the circle to display his lack of interest. It was just going to be another boy, paled by the shaky ride up to the Glade that would ask the same questions like they all did. It wasn't something that particularly interested him, but at the same time all Keepers except for Minho who was gone every day running the Maze, were required to see to the Greenie when they first arrived.

Figures flashed by, where the familiar frames of Newt and Alby parted the crowd with ease just out the corner of his eye, instructing them all to take a step back as they peeled away the doors. As soon as the doors were pulled back and the two gazed down into the box, Gally noticed the way they both stilled like they were seeing a ghost. "No shucking way," Newt mumbled under his breath, a small smile curling the corners of his mouth while he ruffled a hand through his dirty hair. "This isn't good." Alby's stern face briefly glanced at his friend before looking back into the large box, the defined muscles of his exposed arms crossing along his chest. The other Gladers had gone quiet, looking between their leaders in curiosity and confusion - Gally included. What was so special that it had them so concerned?

Tempted to push to the front and peer over the edge, he was beaten by another boy already standing near the box; his stunned face catching everyone's attention as he released a gasp. "It's a..._girl_?" All heck broke loose within that second, with every guy racing to get a peek at the supposed_ girl_ as Newt and Alby tried to redirect the herd back to their jobs. Something inside of him shifted, like an unworked cog in his system was finally beginning to turn, causing his curiosity to heighten as well as his eyebrows when a lazy hand clapped him on the shoulder. It was Winston, the Keeper of the Slicers, standing there beside him with a tired smile adorning his blood speckled face, "A girl in the Glade...this is a first." Gally relaxed, only a little as the uneasy tension in his chest kept his mouth sealed. He didn't know what to say, there wasn't anything he _should _say, except that none of this made sense.

After almost a year and a half of living in this place, the Creators had never sent a girl to live with them; was this a sign saying that they would send more? Watching intently as Newt crouched down at the edge of the box, appearing uncertain of his actions, another feeling pained Gally's chest - like a tightened string having just been plucked for the first time. An unsteady hand went to his chest, curiously searching for whatever could make him feel this way when the slight pain nipped at him again once Newt leapt down into the box. No one could hear anything Newt or Alby said due to the ruckus made by all the other boys, but for some reason, Gally felt strangely jealous that they were the first ones to speak to the female Greenie. He didn't even know if what the boys were fussing over was true or not, and here he was feeling _jealous_? Winston seemed to understand the internal conflict raging within Gally, where he thought quickly for something to distract his friend; little did he know how grateful he was for it. "Come on Gally, time to put the Keeper status to good use." Before he could question what the Slicer meant, he felt himself being dragged through the crowd, cringing internally at the warm feel of blood on his arm as it dripped from Winston's hand.

The height advantage given to him benefited both the Keepers rather well, seeing how they were both able to make it to the front without much protest from the Gladers they pushed past, where Winston soon assisted Alby in keeping the others back. "I said get back to work!" Alby shouted, the anger boiling behind his eyes which had some of the crowd cautiously going back to their daily routine though most chose to ignore his warnings. "Get BACK you slintheads!" Gally's voice broke the thick barrier of their chatter, sending all of the guys into silence while they looked somewhat frightened of his annoyed expression. He looked over to Alby as they both watched the Gladers take several steps back, the older teen flashing the smallest look of gratitude when Newt's words suddenly caught his attention.

"It's okay. None of us are going to harm you." Lastly leaning over the edge, Gally felt his heart kick wildly in his chest; its unexpected pattern now making him worry, though that remained one of the last thoughts in his head when catching sight of the other person currently occupying the box. The Greenie was indeed a girl, with skin fairer than any of the boys to ever come from that box; an unruly mess of chestnut colored waves cascaded down just beyond her shoulders, with eyes as big as saucers while she stared at Newt. She pushed herself back into one of the metal corners, clawing helplessly at the fence-like material around her as if she were hoping it would give way to an escape route. Newt inched closer while crouched, his hands up in a nonthreatening manner while one outstretched toward her hoping for cooperation.

"Come on Greenie," he urged encouragingly, "Let's get cha' out of the box." Her fear didn't lessen at his words, it rather intensified as she looked around frantically, gazing upward until her eyes locked on Gally. They stared at each other for a while, her eyes seemingly taking him in, offering just the distraction Newt needed to finally reach her and take hold of her arm. She didn't fight against him, strangely enough, she simply glanced his way while being helped to her feet and led over to the side of the box they all stood peering over, soon returning her eyes back up in search of something. Gally didn't understand any of what just happened, the way their eyes found each other and held one another's gaze; the somewhat irritated feeling that coursed through him when Newt grasped her arm, and the frown he knew inched across his face once noticing just how frightened she seemed. He took a step back, testing the waters again as Alby reached down to pull her out where the now familiar feeling stirred his subconscious when the sight of her face reappeared over the edge of the box.

The girl stumbled on the firm ground, experimenting with each step she took forward until the numerous faces of all the other Gladers appeared to force her back into the shell she'd almost broken out of. The front of her green shirt was already soaked with sweat, identical to the back though her hair did a fine job of hiding it, while it also managed to conceal a majority of her delicate white skin much like the dark capris which covered her legs. She was short, but then again pretty much everyone was shorter than he was, but Gally studied the way she instinctively pulled down the sleeves of the shirt as if it weren't long enough. No one else seemed to notice, they were all too busy registering the fact that she was actually a _girl_.

That is, until Alby stepped closer to her side, letting his crossed arms fall loosely, "What's your name?" Her face scrunched up at the question, clearly in deep thought while she tried to sort through the mist that settled over the space in her mind once occupied by memories. Gally knew what it felt like, to find yourself somewhere strange without any idea who you were or how you got there; it was awful, and it kept most of the Greenies awake the first week they stayed in the Glade. "Clara," her small voice announced, where the name was then thrown into the all whispers flitting amongst the guys who surrounded the box. "Can you tell me anything about yourself? Where you came from? What you remember?" At Alby's persistence, Clara tried to think, scrounging every inch of her brain for something to tell them; everything that filled her head was laced with a deep fog which didn't allow her to see. No memories - nothing. "I-I can't...remember anything," her lips quivered as though she were about to cry.

A moment of panic swept through all the guys, not one of them knowing how to handle a girl, let alone a crying girl! Hurriedly trying to find a resolution to their current predicament, no one thought Gally of all people would be the one to offer reassuring words. "I-It's okay, d-don't be sad," he murmured unsurely, "None of us can remember anything either." He must've sounded like an idiot to her, stuttering uncontrollably when her eyes flickered up to his again. He didn't understand how Clara was able to make him this way; he had always been strong, Keeper of the Builders Gally, never a stuttering buffoon like how he sounded seconds earlier. Newt snickered slightly, receiving a glare from Gally in return as Alby ushered the girl past the crowd. All the Keepers fell into a formation around the Greenie, shielding her away from all the curious male attention while heading toward the building where they would normally house important meetings.

Clara stayed silent even after sitting down; it was clear she had no desire to talk which was fine considering Alby went right off once closing the door. "This is going to be more trouble than I thought," he muttered, his hands on his waist. "Oh come on Alby, she's not a danger to any of us." Newt tried to reason with him, casually leaning against a wall while several sets of eyes shifted between him and the girl. "_She's _not the problem. Did you all not see the way the others acted out there? This is the first time any of us have seen a girl, and there's no telling what kind of horrid stuff is running through their minds at this very moment!" Clara visibly flinched, though Gally was the only one to see it; he moved to stand behind where she sat, crossing his arms in some sort of protective manner. Despite her obvious discomfort, she sat there quietly, accepting all of Alby's criticism and complaints while all the other Keepers tried to calm him down.

"What do you think Gally?" Newt gestured over to him with a hint of intrigue gleaming in his eyes, "You've been unusually quiet throughout all of this." He could feel his heart pick up again as Clara's head tilted the slightest bit to the side, seemingly interested in what he was to say. "It's just another Greenie, no difference," he sighed, trying to hide the bit of pain that shocked him from his words.

"I'm sorry." Everyone turned to look at Clara; her head hung low with shame causing the dark waves of her hair to fall like curtains, hiding her face from them all.

Alby sighed, "Shuck, I have no idea how to do this." Pinching the bridge between his eyes, he released another sigh after thinking quietly for several seconds, "Um...we're not here to try and make you feel bad. I just don't know how we're going to keep everyone under control…" "Is she going to be working with the rest of us?" Zart questioned; a couple others admitting their curiosity with the same question. "One of our main rules is for everyone to do their part, and just because she's a girl, doesn't mean she can't pitch in and help us. So listen up, one of us will give her the tour today while the rest try to figure out complications like, oh I don't know - where are we going to have her sleep? If everything runs smoothly for the rest of the day, we'll start individual trials tomorrow with whoever wants to test her first. Any questions?" A silent tension filled the air with everyone looking at one another and Clara, who still hadn't lifted her head. "Good," Alby clapped his hands together, "Now, until Minho gets back I'll be occupied with something in the Map Room. Leaving Newt to give her the tour, and all of you shanks need to get back to work!"

* * *

Clara:

The darkness. That would be my first new memory. The darkness that enveloped me when sitting in that rickety metal box as it shook and clattered up an endless passage. Yet sitting there now, in a room surrounded by guys while listening to their leader badgering my very existence, well let's just say it had my spirits downed even more than when I thought I was stuck in the box forever. I stayed still, absorbing every single one of his words with the occasional protest from his blonde friend and some of the others until a presence behind me caused my back to stiffen. It radiated a much-needed warmth onto my spine, thawing the cold chill that had infected my bones, but I dared not to turn and see who stood there.

"What do you think Gally? You've been unusually quiet throughout all of this." That name, that name - that name! Gally, somehow I knew it, or no, I didn't_ know_ it, but I felt something when it was said. It must have been the large figure that loomed behind me because he shifted his weight from one side to the other, clearly uncomfortable with the question which made my head turn only an inch to catch a glimpse of this boy.

What I saw nearly had my mouth fall open, for it was that same boy who stood over the edge of the box as the blonde one helped me out. Nothing could ever make me forget the way our eyes locked, how the dark green of his gaze suddenly widened in confusion and thought. His tall form stood there, solidly behind like nothing could make him move though his face appeared blank as if he were trying to hide emotion. My heart would thump louder whenever his eyes glanced my way, which happened frequently for whatever reason, but everything came crashing down at his next words. "It's just another Greenie, no difference," a sigh parted his lips, but his gaze went to me as I looked down.

The shame, the feeling of absolute uselessness - all of it suddenly fell on my shoulders, breaking what little confidence and happiness I had ready to face this new life. I couldn't explain why his words hurt me, or why him as a whole affected me in any manner at all. It just happened. I didn't even know if he felt anything either, it could just be the nervous jitters of coming from the box and being bombarded with so much at one time. But for a multitude of reasons, I felt sorry for them all having to put up with me. "I'm sorry," my soft voice interrupted their thoughts, all their eyes going to me. I kept my head down, examining the color of my own hair as it hung down around my face, realizing then that I didn't even know what _I _looked like.

Judging by the way all the boys stilled and scrambled with their words, I must've seemed somewhat pathetic. This wasn't how I wanted to project myself - an idiotic girl, bordering on helpless, but that looked like how my first day was going to be. Their leader sighed, "Shuck, I have no idea how to do this. Um...we're not here to try and make you feel bad. I just don't know how we're going to keep everyone under control…" "Is she going to be working with the rest of us?" another one of them asked, which caught my attention. What kind of jobs did they have in a place like this? How was I supposed to be of help to them? But their leader - _Alby_ or so I've heard, had an answer for everything. "One of our main rules is for everyone to do their part, and just because she's a girl, doesn't mean she can't pitch in and help us. So listen up, one of us will give her the tour today while the rest try to figure out complications like, oh I don't know - where are we going to have her sleep? If everything runs smoothly for the rest of the day, we'll start individual trials tomorrow with whoever wants to test her first. Any questions?" No one dared to argue with him which had me wondering why these boys all looked up to Alby, and in what appeared to be some cases, Newt? What gave them the authority to reign over this place like their own personal kingdom? With intrigue clouding my head, I neglected Alby's short sign off, directing the others back to their jobs, leaving me and the blonde alone in the small room.

"You know you can get a kink in your neck doing that," he commented, an amused smile playing across his face as he waited until my head snapped up. Once he saw I wasn't in the mood to chat, he continued on by himself, motioning towards the door. "Name's Clara, right? My name's Newt Greenie, and the stick in the mud back there was Alby. Don't take anything that he says into offense because he's really just stressed out when he rants like that." Pushing away the door to once again reveal the warm sunlight, he studied my face in amusement when I shielded my eyes from the harmful rays.

"You ready for the tour Greenie?" "My name is Clara," I replied sharply. What in the world was a Greenie?

Seeing the confusion and slight distaste etched into my features, he chuckled, leading me out into the wide open field, completely ignoring all the attention cast our way. "Greenie's just a term we use for the new arrival. You just got here, meaning you're the Greenie for the next month until we get a new one." I stopped abruptly, letting my eyes roam in every direction where the enormous walls finally nabbed my attention. They were huge, standing there blocking my view of the outside with each way I turned; vines grew lazily from the top, some reaching up from the bottom like they were trying to meet each other halfway. Yet in between each pair of corner-conjoined walls, was an opening, the nearest one to us showcasing a short passage with more of the same walls placed in random spots. "What's out there?" Instinctively, I took a step toward the opening, only for Newt to snatch my arm back in protest. "Rule number three on our list Greenie," his face now solemn, "No one enters the Maze, other than the Runners." "Maze? Runners?"

"Aye Greenie, now I realize why Alby's always dreading a new Glader..." Running a hand back through his shaggy blonde hair, Newt let out a deep breath, "Even though I'm not supposed to answer any questions until the end of the tour, I guess I'll give you a quick rundown of pretty much everything. This place is called the Glade. It's where we all eat, sleep, and work unless you're a Runner; they're a selected group that run the Maze every day. The Maze is what surrounds the Glade; it's a series of walls and pathways that keep us from escaping. Gladers are everyone you see right now, the other guys who live here too. Each Glader has a different job which you'll learn more about tomorrow, and each job has a Keeper, or a head supervisor I guess you could say. But there are three rules we have here in the Glade that every Greenie needs to understand. One, everyone does their part. There's no slackers. Two, you never hurt another Glader. Alby says it's supposed to build trust or some klunk like that. And lastly, you never go outside the Glade unless you're a Runner." I stared at him, letting all of what he just said sink in as the questions began to fill all the space in my subconscious. "So, being a Runner is one of the jobs you guys have here?" "Yes, but Minho has a very small number of Runners; it's not a job you'd want, trust me." A brief gleam came over his eyes, like he were suppressing a memory of some sort; I didn't want to bug him on the topic, so I let it slide, continuing to listen as he marched us off toward one of the corners. "This is the Northwest corner, where Zart - the Keeper of the Track-Hoes, maintains the gardens. Right across from them, you have the Homestead, where most of us sleep; there's a small jailhouse called the Slammer connected to its side where we leave any Glader that breaks the rules. Alby, me, and a couple other Keepers have private rooms upstairs while some of the Gladers choose to either stay in the bunks or sleep outside. He hasn't let me in on where he plans on letting you sleep." Newt glanced over his shoulder at me, watching as I analyzed the various rows of fruit and vegetables, all in full bloom and ready for picking; whoever this Zart fellow was, he sure kept his gardens neatly organized seeing how all the Gladers working in that section held baskets to collect specific items. Before I knew it, Newt lightly gripped my elbow, trying to get me to face the other direction though I unconsciously flinched away from his touch. The accented blonde raised an eyebrow in confusion until I batted his hand away like it was nothing.

"On the Southeast corner we've got the Blood House where the Slicers work, it's not a nice place either considering it's where all our livestock is kept and slaughtered." He chuckled at the small face I made once the thought finally entered my brain, but carried on nonetheless and pointed to the opposite corner where trees grew thickly enough to appear like a small forest. "Through there is what we call the Dead Heads, you'll find the Baggers hanging around in there most of the time though they're supposed to be guarding the Doors. It's like a cemetery for some of the Gladers that've passed, and the Baggers handle the bodies." "What's over there?" Pointing to a small hut built near one side of the Homestead, I noticed another not far away, each one's roof was a little off though the walls were solid as if to make sure that no one looked in. "The one near the Homestead is the Map Room, Minho and the others run in there whenever they get back but no one other than the Runners, me on occasion, and Alby are allowed in there. The other is where the Med-Jacks' house most the medicine and treat anyone that's been stung, though they mostly work in the Homestead."

"Stung?" I could tell he regretted letting that word slip, Newt tried his hardest to appear nonchalant when looking back at me, but I knew there was some sort of apprehension with the explanation settled on his tongue. "I think we'll save that for another time…"

The sun was still beating down on us, not as hard since it had begun to fade over the horizon, but just enough to cast a hazy orange glow over the Glade. Newt continuously tried to distract me, leaving what little I asked answered for the most part but I felt like there was some big piece of the puzzle no one was willing to let me in on. He led me over to where he said the food was distributed by a single cook named Frypan, and seeing some of the other Gladers nestled at separate tables made me long to feel like I belonged amongst them all. The only thing I received in return from the boys were wide-eyed stares, some in curiosity and others in shock. After what Alby said that morning, I didn't really care to know what any of them were thinking and tried to forget their attention all together. After retrieving my plate and feeling my stomach growl from an unmasked hunger that unexpectedly threw itself on me, I was introduced properly to Frypan by Newt who then led me over to a table which also seated Alby, Gally, and another Glader who I assumed was also Keeper.

"How did the tour go?" Alby's tired gaze fell on Newt who settled beside him, leaving me to take the only open seat next to Gally. "Greenie took it really well, had a few questions, but for the most part - she's rather quiet. Hope we don't scare you or something," all their eyes went to me, some of them with food hanging from their mouths as they did so. "No." I wasn't scared of anyone here, more than anything I was concerned how I would be able to prove that I could handle myself without assistance.

"Everyone's different," Gally spoke up, making Newt laugh. "Weren't you the one to say that she was _just another Greenie_?" "That's not what I meant." The tiniest glint of anger flickered behind Gally's eyes as the two Keepers stared each other down. "It's okay," I raised my hands, ready to push them apart if they got any closer, "It doesn't bother me what others think." They both calmed slightly, daring the other with their eyes to say something back, which had Alby looking between the two of them with a renewed interest. "Well, we were able to convince Winston to give up his room in the Homestead upstairs. You should be able to sleep fine in there, given that it's at the end of the hall." "He didn't need to do that," I whimpered, seeing the boy at the end of the table smile back. "It's fine, it's better if I sleep outside anyway since I smell like a pigpen." A small laugh escaped my throat, catching attention from everyone as I nodded over to the Keeper, "Thank you Winston."

"Well shuck," Newt sighed. "What?" one of Alby's eyebrows lifted in some form of concern. "Winston scored the Greenbean's first laugh. I pegged it to be either me or Minho." A twinge of color painted my cheeks, I knew because the heat swelled like the sparks of a new fire. Letting my head lower while stabbing the beans on my plate with a fork, one set of eyes burned holes in the top of my skull; whoever it was certainly had been staring for quite a while. I lifted my head just a bit, enough for my eyes to once again lock with Gally's which made my already-racing heart practically leap into my throat. He was the one to break eye contact first, uncertainly looking down at his empty plate while the others carried on a conversation about some gathering they were planning for the next night.

"You'll be in the ring again, won't you Gally?" Winston grinned over to his friend who finally straightened to sit at his full height. "Of course, got to defend my title right?" his tightened smile went unnoticed by the three guys, but for some reason I knew of his inner tension. "Well Greenie, I think it'd be best if you headed on up to bed. First night's always the hardest." Alby stood, scooping up his plate and leftovers before instructing me to do the same.

After putting them away to be cleaned, he led me up the staircase of the Homestead and past several doors until reaching the last one just like he said. "Now, it isn't much, but it's enough for the nights." What he said was true, the only thing in the room was a bed frame holding a bare mattress up off the ground; an empty desk sat off in the corner with lazy markings etched into the surface while a single window showcased a closer view of one of walls and the sun overhead. As soon as I stepped foot through the doorway, everything began to shake; a noise louder than anything I've ever heard squealing out, penetrating through even solid walls where I began to think I had set something off.

Alby smirked at me casually, watching as I fumbled over to the bed. "What is that?" I had to raise my voice just to be heard over the trembling. "The walls, they close every night and open every morning. That's why the Runners are putting themselves at risk, not only are there dangers but if they don't make it back in time, they get locked out into the Maze, and no one's ever survived a night in the Maze." I hurriedly went to the window, turning my head at an odd angle just to see what he said was true; the openings I had seen earlier had slowly started toward each other, like automatic doors. Facing him after a few seconds of silence, I panicked a bit once seeing Alby already halfway out the door. "Wait," he froze at the sound of my voice, "Who put us here?" "We don't know." "There has to be something that can tell us who sent us here?" The desperation for some stable fact must have shown in my tone because his eyes softened momentarily before returning back to the stern front he always seemed to have up. "We call them the Creators. They send us the supplies we need in the box every week, and a new Glader every month. We don't really know much more than that they created the Maze." "Oh," the word left my lips before I could register what I had said. "Look, it's been a long day for you. It may not seem like it now, but you're probably really tired. Go on and rest, and I'll come to get you in the morning for your first day with one of the Keepers." Alby shut the door quietly behind him, leaving me alone with my flustered thoughts.

Nothing became clear, even with the silence, which gave me no other choice but to sleep like he suggested. All of it, every second of the day flashed behind my eyelids as I shut them for what felt like the first time since waking up in that box; the calm air going in and out of my lungs with ease until I slipped out of consciousness. I tried not to dream, to leave my mind open and blank, but instead possibilities passed through my thoughts. The anticipation of the whole job testing and selection process had my dreams far more clustered than they would normally be as every scenario played out before my closed eyes. Nightmares hinted at my dreams, trying to turn the simplest thought into something horrifying except I would force my eyes open whenever they became too much, leaving me sleepless most of the night. What felt like only five minutes passed when a thin ray of light broke through the window, lighting up my face as I rolled over in annoyance. The rumbling picked up again, like a huge animal defending its territory; it growled and howled until the doors completely spread apart, where I could see the figures of several guys jogging into the Maze. Today was my first day.


	2. Chapter 2

Day 2

Alby kept true to his word, he returned to get me not long after I woke up, surprised to see that I was even functioning since it had been my first night. He ordered me to clean up and meet him downstairs in the next five minutes, which actually seemed a bit too long. Since I was awake most of the night, I had plenty of time to finger through my long hair, getting accustom to the length and thickness of its wavy texture, enabling me to meet Alby at the bottom of the steps not but two minutes later. "Alright, well let's grab a quick snack from Frypan before the others wake up, and I'll lead you over to your Keeper for the day." Tempted to ask him a question like who I was going to be working with or what job I'd be doing my first day, I was successfully able to stop myself from saying a word because if there was one thing Newt taught me, it was that Alby, didn't like being questioned.

We sat down at the same table as yesterday which now happened to be vacant from the dwindling number of Gladers up this early in the morning. "You'll be working with Zart today, with the other Track-Hoes. He volunteered to be your first job trial since he saw you and Newt talking in the gardens yesterday." Of course, everyone knew precisely where I was at every moment of the day, because it was obvious every guy had their hunger-filled eyes on me.

Chewing a couple blueberries with my thoughts once again distracting me, I didn't hear Newt come waltzing in through the front door, a smile brightening his features. "Have you told her yet?" he plopped down next to Alby who noticeably relaxed at the presence of his friend. "Just did," he replied, swallowing the last bit of his scrambled eggs. "Not about Zart, I mean tonight," Newt's giddiness almost made me smile; it was nice to see someone being so positive even when you're stuck in a place like this.

"Oh," Alby looked up to me, "There's going to be a bonfire tonight. It's a thing we normally do the first night a Greenie arrives, but given the circumstances of yesterday...we decided to push it back a night. It's just something that will give you a feel for what we do for fun around here." Nodding along with the idea, I glanced back at the door when someone else pushed through in an early morning huff. None other than Gally stalked into the room, pausing as his eyes landed on me though he continued on to get his meal from Frypan.

"What is _he_ the Keeper of?" Their two heads casually turned, inspecting Gally with little interest when they looked back to me. "He's the Keeper of the Builders, and their name says everything about them. They handle building new structures and fixing the water lines, more manual labor than anything," Newt stated the fact like it would scare me, but instead it did quite the opposite. Gally came over, being sure to sit away from me despite how his gaze would repeatedly glance my way. "Where's the Greenie working today?" the undertone in his voice showed some form of interest, even with the empty look on his face, but it was nice to see that he was talking to me somewhat. "Track-Hoes today," Alby sighed while gathering his things.

"Builders tomorrow?" his eyes reflected a form of hopefulness, until Alby shot the idea down. "No, Builders will be last. Slicers tomorrow, and Runners after that; Med-Jacks, and then Builders." "Why not Sloppers or Baggers, maybe even Bricknicks?" Newt weaseled into the conversation, resting with his elbow on the edge of the table. "Does she honestly look like she would want to be stuck in a job where you handle mess all day or dead bodies; there's enough Bricknicks as it is, if anything, the Builders would need the extra hand." "Frypan could always use her help in the kitchen? Maybe a woman's touch will be better when it comes to food." Gally pushed aside the plate in front of him, clearly not hungry for the burnt piece of toast and side of eggs. "I've already heard several of the guys suggesting that - it wouldn't be right to put her in that position," Alby shook his head. "I can't cook either," finally inserting myself in the conversation which was obviously about me, they looked at me where Newt's grin began widen.

"We'll handle this later," Alby swapped glances with the other two before standing, "Come on Greenie."

Following Alby's figure out the door and across the Glade to the gardens, the sun lazily lifted itself over the top of one wall, barely peeking out at any of us though many of the Gladers were now awake and moving. The gardens seemed practically abandoned this early in the morning, for many of the boys leaving the Homestead turned to go to places like the Blood House or disappeared within the trees leading to the Dead Heads. I had sketched out a mental map of the whole Glade in my mind, seeing as how I had nothing else to do during my sleepless night, but I continued to get confused on my directions. Even with Newt's general description of the whole place, directions appeared to pose a problem for me.

A tall figure quietly walked through the front gates of the gardens, stopping just at the borders while his long sort of face peered at us over the end of a tall shovel; his arms draped across the top. "Zart, this is Clara," Alby gently nudged me forward as the Keeper offered a hand out, a tired smile lifting his face. I took the hand, shaking it several times with a small smile of my own. Zart had vibrant blue eyes, a kind you could look at for a long time, but they lay deeply-set in his face, drooping which gave him a somewhat bored expression. "Nice to meet you Greenie," he dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Nice to meet you too." Alby interrupted our friendly greeting with a serious look, his arms crossing like usual as his narrowed eyes went to Zart. "Show her the ropes, and make sure she doesn't hurt herself. Newt will come by in a little while to see how she's doing, and we'll regroup at lunchtime. Alright?" I nodded when he glanced my way, waiting until he had marched far enough away before turning to look at my supervisor for the day.

"Come on," Zart's low voice ushered me into the gardens, "We can get most of the work done before any of the others show up." "What's first?" A loud thud pulled my attention away, Zart's eyes following my own as we both shifted to see a group of boys piecing together a small building; some with hammers sat atop the roof, nailing down boards to fill the gap that left the inside of the structure exposed which caused that repetitive thud to fill the air. Amongst the group, I caught a glimpse of Gally while he stood with another boy chatting, his tall figure blending in with most of the Gladers there for they must've been the strongest and largest of the entire Glade.

"The Builders are helping create a new greenhouse for some of the plants we've been growing. It should be finished soon, but don't worry, we won't be working in that section today. Right now, we need to go find a pitcher and start watering the plants. I do it every morning and every evening before going back to the Homestead." "By yourself?" I looked up at Zart, now having to squint my eyes a bit from the morning sun that grew brighter each minute. "Most of the Track-Hoes don't get to the gardens until a good hour after sunrise - they collect the fruit and vegetables when they're ready, and make sure there are no weeds growing amongst the plants."

Zart lifted the shovel with one hand, leading me over to a small wooden shack at the corner of the gardens. "This is where all the tools and stuff are kept," he placed the shovel off to the side, crouching to rummage through some pots on a lower shelf until he found what he was looking for. An empty white pitcher was placed in my arms, with an identical one clutched in Zart's dirt-covered palms while he directed my eyes over to a short stone-made structure protruding from the ground in the center of the garden. "And this is our well, it's connected to a bunch of the waterlines and everything so it houses most of the water for the Glade," he busied himself with filling the pitchers, leaning over the edge of the well a good bit where his voice echoed when he called over to me, "You don't talk very much."

Shrugging as the now full pitcher made its way back into my hands, the slick droplets of water decorated my palms with their own special chill, causing a smile to tug at my lips, "There's not much to talk about." "I'm quiet myself, but once the others come around it's like a knitting circle or something. Word travels fast around here." A grin stretched his pale lips when he looked over at me, "So be careful Greenie, there's already enough going around about you as it is." "What do you mean?" my eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Nothing bad or anything," he hurriedly muttered once seeing my face, "Just none of us have ever seen a girl before, and getting one in the Box just out of the blue like that kind of startled us all…" Starting with the plants at the front of the garden and working our way back, a silence fell on the two, where not even the continuous beating of the Builders' nails could interrupt my deep thoughts. So it seemed everyone was talking about me, of course I knew that would happen being the first girl in the Glade, but to have confirmation that you were the talk of the town was a little off-putting.

Even now, hunched over a blossoming green plant while prying away the small weeds that had started to grow around the roots, I could feel all their eyes on me; the heat was unbearable on my spine from their stares, some of the Builders even cat-called in my direction when I bent over to pick up the pitcher. Gally had immediately snapped at them once noticing the sound and the males lounging around the roof above his head instead of doing their work, though he tossed a glance at me with a somewhat apologetic look in his eyes.

Returning the gesture with a thankful nod, I continued watering the plants, finding that Zart had already finished his part of the row when he appeared at my side silently. "Look, what I said earlier, I didn't mean to say that we're all gossiping about you. I just wanted you to be mindful about what you do here, so nothing bad happens and fuels their fire even more. You understand?" "I'm fine, thank you Zart." His face scrunched up a bit in uncertainty, like he wanted to say more but he decided against it. Instead, he slipped the pitcher out of my hands and motioned back towards the Track-Hoes that now started to spill through the gateway. "It's time for you to start picking. We can finish watering them after lunch."

Picking the vegetables wasn't near as difficult as some of the others made it out to be. Except for the ache that filled your crouching legs and the pain that electrified your spine whenever you straightened out, it was bearable. Before I even knew it, I had all the ripe tomatoes filed out into one of my baskets and headed over to Zart who manned the shack, distributing tools to each Track-Hoe that came by; he also informed me that he took inventory of all the product brought back, keeping record or something like that to account for all the new seedlings they'd need to ask the Creators for. Dirt lay embedded under my fingernails, smudges running up my exposed forearms with splashes of soil on my shirt though I somehow managed to keep it out of my hair which had become a nuisance throughout the entire hot, sweaty morning.

"Done already?" his smile made a grin curl the ends of my lips while handing over the basket. "Yep, there are a couple I left on the vines because they didn't look quite ready yet, but I can always go back and get them if you need more today." "No, no, you've got plenty as it is. Hopefully Frypan will find use for all these today, then he can change up the menu from the usual slop." A chuckle shook my shoulders, where the unfamiliar feeling had me momentarily confused until Zart pushed a bigger basket in my direction. "This should hold a good amount of corn. You can help some of the others in the field."

Turning around to see the tall green cornstalks, shivers flew down my spine when I noticed the Builders crawling all over that area for a section of the field had been cleared away; it was where they were all working, including Gally. I wasn't comfortable getting close to the boys that openly watched me, but I didn't want to complain to Zart either, so I accepted the fact and marched over to the fields, disappearing quickly behind the stalks. I conversed with another Glader working the corn field as quiet as possible to see where I was needed and took to that area, luckily finding it in the last few rows the farthest away from the Builders. Time flew by, with the sun's heat washing over my back and shoulders in a much too warm manner, reminding me of the warmth emanating from Gally when he stood behind me that day. It was like he knew I was cold, providing exactly what I needed without a word; my heart thumped a bit louder in my chest, steering me away from that train of thought onto the task at hand.

"There you are Greenie," Newt rounded the row of cornstalks, the ever so familiar smile bringing out his happy eyes. "Newt," I managed through a small grin. "How was your first day? You like being a Track-Hoe?" Crossing his arms, Newt tilted his head a bit in curiosity, watching as I adjusted the half-filled basket at my side. "I don't really have anything to compare it too. It's nice, tending to the gardens, but I don't know if I could do it every day." He nodded in understanding, unconsciously reaching out to touch my arm as he turned back towards the entrance.

Once again I flinched away from his touch almost instinctively, feeling a peculiar sort of itch form under the skin his fingers had touched. Newt's eyes studied me in an uncomfortable silence, that is until I motioned for him to continue with what he was about to say, where his eyebrows lifted in slight amusement. "I was coming to get you so we could run by Frypan's and get lunch before the others hear the bell. It's almost ready, and there'll be a line if we wait too long." "Well, I'd need to drop the basket off with Zart and_" "Just leave it here and it'll still be there when you come back. Come on Greenie," he snatched my wrist which this time I didn't object to. Jogging behind him, the faint sign of a limp caught my eye in Newt's run; he denied the weakness, forcing his legs forward though he would slow down without noticing whenever stepping on his favored leg.

We made it to Frypan's kitchen before most of the other Gladers, coming to a halt right behind Alby as he grabbed his plate. He glanced over his shoulder at us, appearing somewhat surprised to see me with Newt before turning his head back to the front. "I thought you were supposed to be in the gardens Greenie?" "Oh don't fuss Alby," Newt playfully bumped his shoulder, "I pulled her from the corn field. Zart had her plucking the bloody cornstalks - had to rescue the girl from baking in the heat." "You dragged me," I corrected, making Alby laugh as we all went to our seats at the table.

"So, you like it Greenie?" Alby said through his first bite of food. "Don't think Track-Hoe's for her Albs," Newt flickered his gaze up to me, "Everything ready for the bonfire tonight?" "The boys are drawing the circle as we speak." Downing a cup of water, Alby leaned closer to the table, trying catch my attention. "Greenie," I lastly lifted my head to face him, "Finish in the gardens, Newt'll stay with you, and when sundown comes I want you to enjoy yourself." "You make it sound easy." Another laugh escaped from our usually solemn leader, where Alby smiled at the remains of his lunch before glancing over to Newt, "She like this all day?" "Like what?" I flickered my narrowed gaze at both boys, studying the knowing look that passed between them as Newt held back a slight chuckle. "Snappy," Alby grinned, "You don't put up with anything Greenie. It's a good quality to have around here."

"Oh," I fiddled mindlessly with the end of my fork, pressing against the edges with my fingertips to provide some sense of reality as I drifted into my own little world. I hated when I did. It had happened frequently all throughout the day, whether it was when I was watering the plants or working the cornfields; my mind always seemed to find a time to just dive into some preposterous thought that flitted through my head and refuse to let go. Several times it was something about Gally, like his well-built frame, protective nature, or the warmth I once again longed for_ And just like that, I caught myself daydreaming again, which infuriated me more than anyone could comprehend, especially if I was thinking about _him_.

"Greenie!" Newt bellowed, now crouching right in front of my face beside the table. "What?" I snapped back, seeing the relief wash over his face at my words. "We've been calling your name for past five minutes Greenbean. You alright?" His hands somehow found their way to rest on my shoulders, to which my body instantly rejected; jerking in a way that appeared dangerous to myself and anyone around me, where that awkward silence filled the short distance between Newt and me as he let his arms drop down to his sides with a questioning look. "I-I'm fine!" the words came from my mouth, resembling some form of disgust while that uncontrollable itch started up in the place Newt's palms had pressed. Glancing over my shoulder in hopes of some distraction, I instead found Alby watching with a deep look of concern written all over his face, and that wasn't even the best part. Gally stood at the other end of the table, a tray of food in his hands as his tall sweat-covered body glistened in the light; his eyes just openly watching me with a mix of emotions I didn't care enough to place.

The embarrassment of realizing that I had just been thinking of Gally had me riled in an unusual way. I had to get away, I just had too. Those were the only thoughts running through my mind as I stood, brushing past Newt with a muttered, "I'm going back to the fields." After depositing my used silverware back with Frypan, I left in a hurried fluster, pushing past the line of Gladers that now blocked the front entrance which received several crude remarks in return. Settling back in the farthest row, glad to see all the Builders and Track-Hoes had gone to lunch, I sat down in the dirt, not caring if my clothes were ruined. My hands ran all over my face, feeling ever indent or crease there was though there wasn't many, and in the process probably smudged dirt all over myself.

The heat filling my cheeks spiraled all the way up into the tips of my ears, setting them aflame from what it felt like, and I was sure I must've been as red as a tomato. The feeling in my shoulders had lessened though not enough for me not to notice, which had my fingers experimentally sliding beneath the collar of my shirt with more annoyance than intrigue. Nothing but smooth skin settled under my fingertips until…I reached a spot right below my shoulder, at the place where your neck joins the rest of your body. The skin there was thinner, paper-like almost, with a texture that felt almost breakable. Was this everywhere? Reaching over with panic now rising in my chest, I checked the opposite shoulder, finding instead that the fragile layer of skin started at the edge of my shoulder like a lowered sleeve. If I had pulled my shirt collar any further right, this new discovery would've been displayed for the entire Glade to see and I wouldn't have even known it was there.

"Greenie, I really think we should talk about what happened back there." Newt's friendly frame once again materialized from the end of the cornstalks, his expression soon turning a bit cautious for he must've seen the look of fear on my face. "Whoa, what's going_" "Do you have a mirror?" I interrupted him, worrying far too much about whatever was on my back for it to seem healthy. "Yeah, in the bathhouse, why? Greenie, are you alright?" "Newt, please," the urgent desperation in my tone and my wide, fearful eyes had him grabbing my wrist in an instant, rushing me in the direction of the bathhouse without any further questions.

* * *

Gally:

He couldn't remember a time when he had experienced such a terrible night. Even lying along a spring-filled mattress, which was a luxury in the Glade, Gally couldn't find any sort of comfort. He felt the unusual tick in his chest start to thump a little harder, like something was missing. Of course the feeling kept him up all night, where around an hour or so before sunrise, he slid out the door and away from the Homestead, wandering over to the half-built greenhouse. Glancing back with tired eyes, he silently wondered if anyone else was struggling to sleep, though seeing several boys scattered about the Glade deep within their subconscious didn't strengthen the belief that the answer would be in his favor.

Was the Greenie still up? No, what? There he was, catching himself for what felt like the hundredth time thinking about Clara. It both intrigued and terrified him that one person could've gotten so far under his skin despite their interaction lasting less than ten minutes. Dead on his feet, though unaware of the lack of energy, Gally took hold of the tool belt draped across a small workbench placed right next to the building they were constructing in the gardens. Conscious of others asleep around him, he ignored the hammer weighing down his left side and instead went for the screwdriver; he always had to double check the work the others did to make sure nothing dangerous could happen in the future. Several instances had occurred where his checking meant a great deal, like when he made sure a very important nail had been imbedded deeply into the Map Room's roof, otherwise it would've collapsed a week after they finished from an accidental fight that broke out between two idiot shanks. It was a long story that he didn't feel the need to dive back into, so Gally concentrated once again on his job, unknowingly allowing his mind to wander as his hands worked.

Today would be the Greenie's first job trial. Alby had been incredibly discreet when formulating his plan, no one, other than Newt of course, knew where she was to be working throughout her next few days and it annoyed Gally to no end. If she was to be working with him that day, he had to be prepared. With confusion still fresh in his mind as to why all these strange feelings arose the moment Clara appeared, he wasn't exactly sure how to handle her job trial. Did she feel anything like he did? What if she did? What was it supposed to mean? Not paying attention, he completely neglected the sun light's now glinting off the tool in his hand as it rose over the East wall. The rays reflecting off the metal lastly nicked his eyesight, jolting him from his heavy thoughts as the yearning for sleep soon turned to hunger in the early morning hours. Placing his tools aside for later, he scurried over to where Frypan was certain to be found already slaving away over the fire, pushing through the door with a bit more force than intended.

Gally paused unsurely at the sight of Alby, Newt, and Clara sitting at the table; his eyes settling on the Greenie even when she looked his way as well though he ignored the sudden urge to move closer. He directed himself over to Frypan, receiving his usual tray with the hushed voices from the table drifting up to meet his ears. Of course, it was Newt's voice out of all three of them that he heard the clearest while he lowered his voice, ""He's the Keeper of the Builders, and their name says everything about them. They handle building new structures and fixing the water lines, more manual labor than anything."

Deciding to avoid a quarrel with the second-in-command, Gally seated himself across from the Greenie, flickering his gaze up to study her face while trying to direct the topic of conversation to something other than himself. "Where's the Greenie working today?" he tried his best to keep his voice and face void of any true emotion, despite the hammering thump of his beating heart at the sight of Clara's beautiful green eyes whenever she would glance at him; she clearly tried to do it each time he looked back down to his food, just as he did her, but they both caught each other staring no matter how hard they tried to hide it.

"Track-Hoes today," Alby released with a breath, his hands searching blindly for the crumbs that made their way off his plate. "Builders tomorrow?" Gally wanted to know when, even with the disappointment now coloring his thoughts, a new sense of tension crawled into his mind. She would be spending all day – with Zart. Before his slight jealousy could grow any more, Alby spoke again, "No, Builders will be last. Slicers tomorrow, and Runners after that; Med-Jacks, and then Builders." "Why not Sloppers or Baggers, maybe even Bricknicks?" An open scowl marked Gally's face when looking over at Newt, that is until he felt the impression and cleared it away as soon as possible, hopeful Clara or any of them hadn't noticed. Luckily Alby was thinking along the same train of thought as him, "Does she honestly look like she would want to be stuck in a job where you handle mess all day or dead bodies; there's enough Bricknicks as it is, if anything, the Builders would need the extra hand."

"Frypan could always use her help in the kitchen," he piped in, pushing aside the unappetizing plate he had barely picked from, "Maybe a woman's touch will be better when it comes to food." A grave sort of look passed over Alby's face at the mention; he did not seem pleased with that idea. "I've already heard several of the guys suggesting that - it wouldn't be right to put her in that position," he shook his head. "I can't cook either." Clara's even tone made the three of them look up, realizing all of the sudden that they were discussing this right in front of her. Gally felt somewhat embarrassed to have been caught conversing about her, though Newt and Alby didn't hide their amusement under her interested gaze. "We'll handle this later," he swapped glances with the two boys before standing, "Come on Greenie."

He couldn't help but follow her retreating figure with his eyes. The way her hips moved whenever she walked was mesmerizing; though there was a hidden inner-tension laced along her spine for she kept it as straight as a board, moving her upper body the least amount possible. Gally found the hint in her posture strange, soon realizing he had been staring at the door in silence, where he turned back to his plate and hurriedly finished eating. Newt remained at the table as well, soundlessly chewing a spoonful of his breakfast before gathering his things and heading off to do whatever it is he did during the day. He knew he should be getting back to work by now, but for some reason, Gally couldn't move. His body sat planted in its place at the table, staring down at his plate as his thoughts once again made their way to Clara.

Zart better keep his dirty hands off of her – if he so much as saw him look at her in the wrong way Gally wouldn't be able to control himself. He had no idea where this sudden protectiveness and jealousy came from; somewhere deep inside of him that he'd never bothered to touch that was for sure, but then again, he had always been rather envious of Newt and Alby. Their roles in the Glade conflicted him, for he had been the third boy to come up in the Box, and yet he was treated without the same kind of respect. Everyone operated under his power out of fear, not out of authority. Gally could understand their fear, he was known for being undefeated in the wrestling circle, and his height and build didn't contradict any of the dangerous auras around him, but at the same time, it was slightly saddening to know he was only in the position he was due to the cowardice of others.

Lastly standing from the table, he pondered the thought of Clara being afraid of him. Would she shy away from him like the others? He had rarely heard her speak, and wondered if she would display some silent show of defiance instead? Wandering aimlessly, Gally somehow managed to find his way to the gardens where the other Builders had already started to collect their tools for the day and set to work. They all knew their jobs, they still had to finish the greenhouse, and he doubted that they would be done this week which made it even more irritating to see the small amount of progress made each day. A good amount of time passed as he studied the prints laid out on the workbench for the fourth time that morning, until he heard a couple Builders on the roof meowing and whistling over to something in the gardens. The Greenie.

Her short figure appeared out from behind a green plant, a water pitcher in hand as dirt smudged her arms; Clara's eyes flashed up to the boys with a hint of sadness marking her face which caused something inside Gally to snap. "Hey!" he shouted, earning their attention at once, "You shanks get back to work! If that roof isn't finished by the time Frypan rings his dinner bell, I'm coming up there and ringing your necks!" The three that had called over to the Greenie turned their heads, casting one last glance at Clara before returning to work, not needing to be told twice. He tossed his gaze cautiously over to the Greenie, unsure how she would react to his actions, but found her looking at him with a small grateful glint in her eyes. She nodded once to him and carried on with her work, while Zart made his way to her side soon after. Gally wrung out a short piece of cloth in frustration, twisting the red rag with all his strength, hoping the action would calm him somehow. He glanced over to her several times in the next few minutes, watching her converse with Zart quietly before the pitcher was exchanged for a basket and she was sent over to a row of tomatoes a good distance away from his intrigued eyes.

What was wrong with him? He was acting like a complete lunatic! Staring at her, thinking about her all the time, but he wasn't man enough to even actually talk to her! This was pathetic! Before he decided to do something stupid, he saw her walk over to Zart who was now resting in the miniscule tool shed and hand over the basket she had filled with tomatoes. The two spoke for a little bit until she was sent on her way to do something else, but Clara noticeably hesitated when starting toward the corn field with a larger empty basket against her side. What was she doing? Her worry-filled eyes seemed to go everywhere but in his direction, as if she were afraid to look over where they were all working, but soon she marched onward, stopping another Track-Hoe for a minute or two before disappearing into the tall jungle of cornstalks. "Hey Gally?" another Builder called from the roof above him. "Can you come up here and show me how you want this tarp to go? All the others are busy bringing the materials over to help." "Sure," he sighed, "I'll be up there in a minute."

Now resting with his side against the reinforced roof of the greenhouse, Gally laid out the material of a thin covering meant to tint the top as a way to filter in sunlight, hollering at a few others to nail down the corners as he held it still. A head of shaggy blonde hair, almost as yellow as the corn, flashed by the corner of his eye from below, and sure enough he caught the thin figure of Newt jogging around the cornfield in search of Clara. Now covered in a thin coat of sweat from the hot sun above, he wiped away a few droplets from his forehead, having to do a double take at the sight of Newt trekking out of the gardens with Clara dragged behind him. What did that slinthead think he was doing? Dragging Clara around like some doll? Gally's brows drew together in irritation as he followed their figures all the way across the fields until they disappeared into Frypan's kitchen. Surely it wasn't lunchtime already? Frypan's familiar bell chimed out over the Glade only a few minutes later, sending every boy into a frenzy as they ran for the door of his kitchen, hoping to get food first instead of waiting.

Gally took his time coming down from the roof, checking several things off in his head when inspecting the greenhouse with each step down the ladder. On the last step, he noticed the sweat soaking into the orange fabric of his shirt; the large splotch on his chest stood out the most, with one spot underneath each arm and a ring leaving the collar of his shirt damp. What did it matter? Why was he suddenly conscious about his appearance? Was it because of Clara? Oh, it was most definitely because of Clara. Gally was afraid of how she saw him, and it made his heart beat quicker at the very thought of her finding him scary or frightening, but what if it was the opposite? What if she saw him as weak? No, she couldn't see him like that, could she? With all these questions making his mind dizzy, he had no idea how he had made his way over to the kitchen. Joining the line in silence, he blocked out all the noise buzzing around him, focusing solely on the one question: why did he care?

Before he knew it, he was at the front of the line, collecting his tray and steering off towards the Keepers' table when he heard a somewhat distressed tone in Newt's voice that shook him to the core. "Clara?" the blonde's voice displayed the concern for whatever was happening and Gally stopped at the end of the table. The Greenie sat still, her head angled away from Newt and Alby seated across the table, with only her back there to greet him and immediately he paused. Watching Newt as he got up from his seat, calling her name again, the three stared quietly at the girl who didn't even bother to move.

Was she alright? Gally was tempted to sit beside her, and tenderly prod until she responded, but Newt had already beaten him to it. The scrawny teen crouched in front of Clara, curiously searching for her eyes or something that could tell them why she was acting this way. Gally noted the fork clutched tightly in her other hand, as the small utensil gleamed in the light provided from outside. Clara's knuckles were practically white as she pressed the end of her thumb into the points of the fork, though no one prompted to remove it from her grasp. Maybe she finally snapped? He hadn't heard any yelling the night before, which was practically expected from a Greenie, but maybe she'd managed to hold it all in and chose now to self-combust.

"Clara?!" Newt's final attempt at coaxing her out of whatever haze she was in seemed to work as the Greenie's head lifted. "What?" All of them relaxed, fully relieved to see she was back to normal, but at the same time Alby remained stiff as well as Gally. "We've been calling your name for the past five minutes Greenbean. You alright?" A growl nearly leapt from Gally's throat when the boy rest his hands on her shoulders, though all of them stopped as she jerked away violently. It was unexpected, to say the least. Clara had ripped herself away from Newt as if he had burned her, and sat a good distance away from him for a solid second before realizing her action. "I-I'm fine!" Alby's eyes had narrowed, while his face showed a slight form of sympathy when Clara looked over, though Gally provided no such comfort when she twisted around to see him. Their eyes met briefly, and he instantly saw a small bit of emotion flash into her gaze before she turned away. He had no idea what was showing on his face, but he hoped she saw nothing to reveal how he felt; that would only complicate things if she knew how he thought of her.

The Greenie stood abruptly, shoving a bit past Newt in order to get away with a mumble only the second-in-command got to hear. They all three watched her retreat, forcefully pushing through the line of hungry Gladers which had several nasty remarks thrown her way though Clara didn't seem to hear, either that or she chose to ignore them.

"She's done that before," Newt placed his hands along his slim hips, staring at the door, "Pulled away from me like I've hurt her. I have no bloody idea why." "You haven't hurt her, have you?" Gally didn't mean for as much malice to be threaded within his voice as there was when he asked, but it was too late to take it back. Newt had heard his tone, and looked at him in turn, a scowl pulling at the usually-enthusiastic boy's features. "Of course not, you bloody shank! I'd never hurt her! I'd never hurt anyone! It's a rule that I bloody came up with for crying out loud!" "Newt," Alby called, still seated at the table. It was obvious he didn't want the two to argue, especially with all his thoughts racing to answer the question as to why the Greenie seemed to fade out today only to snap back and jerk away like a wild horse when touched. "Did she wake any of you up last night?" Both of them shook their heads, briefly glaring at one another before returning their eyes to Alby.

A deep sigh caused their leader's whole wall to fade; suddenly Gally could see the dark bags under Alby's eyes, and the invisible weight that managed to slump his shoulders down. "Newt, I think it would be best if you went to go talk to her," his voice reflected the same tiredness that shown in his eyes. The poor shank must not have been sleeping well the past few nights. Newt nodded, preparing to leave as he gathered his plate to put away, but Gally just couldn't stand it. Why was this shucking idiot getting sent to talk to Clara? It's not like he could help her in any way! He was the one she had shucking jerked away from, and _he _was getting sent to comfort her?!

Alby must've registered the look of hatred and anger that crossed over his face, ushering Newt away only to silence Gally when he tried to stop the shank from leaving. "Newt was the first person she saw when arriving, she most likely trusts him more than she would you or me." His explanation did little to help him calm down. Gally could still feel the bitter sting of jealousy nip at him while he continuously clenched and unclenched his fists. "Stay and eat Gally, everything will work itself out in time." His anger didn't lessen at Alby's words; instead, it rather increased while watching the supposed 'leader' stalk out of the kitchen. If anything, Gally hated being ordered around, that was why he had become a Keeper – suddenly there was less rules for him to follow, and only one or two people breathing down his neck, but now that Clara was in the picture…his priorities seemed to change. He couldn't explain it, the unexpected attachment, but even sitting there at the newly-empty lunch table, he still couldn't wrap his head around it. Finally, he chose the only option available at the time: to ignore it. Digging into his food, Gally took his time before preparing to get back to work.

Yet as soon as he stepped one foot out of the kitchen door, his eyes locked on the sight of Newt and Clara rushing out of the cornfields and over to the Bathhouse. The level of anger that spiked within Gally was like nothing ever before. He couldn't see all of a sudden, everything had become a slight shade of red, and without knowing it, he marched angrily right over to the Bathhouse only minutes after they had disappeared inside. At first he tried the handle, growling when he found it locked, and immediately started banging against the wood of the door. "Open this door right NOW!"

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Hey! Literally, right after posting the first chapter I realized that I forgot to put a little author's note, so here it is! I understand most of you don't really care about these, but I'll be writing them every once and a while to tell you what's going on or if I need any help deciding something for future chapters.

I decided to write this story because I always found Gally as an interesting character in the books, and seeing Will Poulter play him in the movies got me really excited, so it kind of all came down to this. I hope I'm doing the book justice, I try sticking to it with all the details and everything as much as possible. If there's anything I need to correct I'd be really happy if some of you guys let me know and I'll try to fix it. Also, I'd really appreciate it if you would review and follow the story! I'm planning on posting some more soon, not for the Maze Runner but for other books I enjoy.

Just as a small note, I may change the summary of this story because I feel like I didn't put enough into it to make it sound worth reading. But, I mean, with a limited character requirement it's kind of hard to express what this story is fully about and what I want it to become.

Thanks for all of you who have read and liked this story so far! Please remember to favorite, follow or review, and I'll hopefully be able to post the next chapter soon!


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